Young Justice S4 Theory - How Wally can return (September 2019)

This was posted on r/YoungJustice shortly after season 3 finished. I loved the show and it was incredible that it was brought back. I truly think it's most worthy of succeeding the DCAU as the best animated adaptation of the DC Universe. This definitely won't be my last Young Justice theory post.

Some things I'd like to add, another good parallel is the S2 finale of JLU with Wally disappearing into the Speed Force and then being brought back thanks to hsi connection to the original 7 of the DCAU League. 

As of right now, Wally is also back to being the main Flash as well so him returning in YJ lines up really well.

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Theories for Season 4 including ways Wally could still return in the future

Before I begin, first things first: if you believe that Wally is not coming back and need convincing for why he would or should come back, this post probably isn't for you. Best to ignore this then. This is for those open minded and are curious to how he could even return and if it would even fit in the current storyline and future of the show. That being said I also talk a lot about other characters and potential plot threads such as the Legion, Luthor and the Light so if you can ignore the Wally stuff, why not.

Obviously spoilers for the season finale will follow and if you haven't watched it yet, turn back now, watch it and if you're still interested, please check this out.

First a recap:

1. Granny has failed and the Halo version of the Anti-Life Equation is thwarted, partially in thanks to Vandal's betryal. Darkseid will need a new key for Anti-Life. When he does attain the true ALE, he will likely unleash vengeance on Savage. Their war will come soon. But for now, "Business as Usual"
2. Artemis has finally started to move on thanks to some psychic therapy by M'Gann and Zatanna (though she is unaware of this and believes she actually went to Limbo)
3. Wally's soul cannot be contacted. Whether this is a general limitation for this version of Zatanna or just for Wally remains to be seen.
4. Conner is now a public Hero
5. Lex is outed for many of his crimes and may be impeached as UN general secretary. The Light may possibly be compromised too depending on how much the League and Connor intends to reveal to the public.
6. A blonde waitress in Bibbo's diner is serving Conner and M'gann coffee in their private party. She is wearing what seems to be an actual Legion Flight Ring.

Caught up? Good.

I. Let's first address the big teaser for next season:

The Legion of Super-Heroes (LoSH).

The Legion Flight Ring in the Finale

For those unfamiliar, the Legion is a supehero team in the 30th-31st (and now 32nd in Bendis' run) century. They are inspired by the heroes of the heroic age, especially Superman. In comics, they traveled to the past to recruit a young Clark Kent in their ranks as Superboy. They become his childhood friends. He was able to be himself around them when he had to hold himself and stay and be a bit of an outcast back in the present (even with Lana and Pete). Depending on the version, he may not have memories of this and he may or may not meet them again as adults.

(Quick detour, for recommendations I'd say read: Superman and the Legion of Super-Heroes and Superman: Secret Origin. Both by Geoff Johns and Gary Frank. If you want to watch something to distract yourself before season 4, watch the LOSH animated series. I highly recommend it. This review covers it well, if you wish to avoid spoilers click away once he starts recapping season 2. The show is similar to YJ with how it was cancelled after two seasons, one light, episodic character focused season and the second a mature, serial story season. Superman X in season 2 definitely inspired the show's version of Conner).

Superman and LoSH by Geoff Johns and Gary Frank

So how will the Legion fit in the upcoming season? Three words. The Great Darkness Saga.

The Great Darkness

As you might already know, Darkseid is destined to lose and die at the hands of his son Orion. It's a prophecy that even he fears. In the 31st century all the New Gods have been long dead...except for Darkseid who returns (and later Highfather). Here is Pre-Crisis Darkseid at his most powerful. Taking on Kryptonians and Daxamites with ease. He seems to also have the ALE (or a form/part of it) as he telepathically controls 3 Billion Daxamites (Kryptonian level aliens) the same way he controlled 3 Billion humans in Final Crisis. He only loses thanks to the return of Highfather (another New God and former leader of New Genesis who creates a clone of Orion and empowers Superboy (young Clark) and Supergirl (Kara from the present).

For the show, I theorize that the Legion lost without Highfather or past Kryptonians to save them. Hence Saturn Girl going into the past undercover like in DC Universe Rebirth. Superboy is now a public hero and it's obvious he seems to be SG's objective. It's likely he will have an important role in the show's version of Final Crisis. Speaking of which.

Conner Resurrected in Final Crisis: Legion of Three Worlds

Bart resurrected in FC: LoTW

Both Conner and Bart in comics died. Both came back in Final Crisis: Legion of Three Worlds (which despite the name is actually mostly disconnected from the main event involving Darkseid and Mandrakk) thanks in large part to the Legion's help. In the show, Conner is in the third and not fourth generation of heroes, alongside Dick and Wally. It's then not a big leap to say he and Wally are the important goals of the Legion in season 4.

II. The Light. Savage, Lex and the Legion of Doom

A. Lex Luthor excommunicated from the Light

Now out of the Light, Lex will need new allies

Things aren't going well for Lex Luthor. Thanks to Black Lightning, Cyborg and Superboy, he's pretty much been compromised and depending on how much the League is willing to reveal, may also compromise the Light.

Now the show's version of Luthor is calm, calculating, intelligent, deceptive and manipulating. He's always one step ahead and never has to get his hands dirty. He's a genius. Most people here can't see him as the mad scientist, power suit wearing public villain Lex. Thing is, it's a false dichotomy. Both can be interpreted as different points in the life of one Luthor (if that sounds familiar I've said this about this with the different versions of Batman, from light, heroic, campy and friendly to dark, gritty, angry and paranoid, back to somewhere in between in modern comics etc.).

This is portrayed well in the DCAU where he finally becomes the traditional Lex when exposed. That being said that version of Lex was always prone to anger. Perhaps an even better example is comic Lex. He experienced the same arc but over a longer period of time and more detailed (like Bruce). For most of Post-Crisis he was the business man Lex who wore suits more than his classic power suit, super villain costume or even scientist lab gown. He even became President (for real unlike DCAU Lex). However in the year after Infinite Crisis he was finally exposed completely, with his company taken and reputation destroyed thanks in part to his role in the Infinity Inc. massacre. Sound familiar?

Lex will be compromised thanks to the public now knowing of many crimes including his work on Cadmus, Lexcorp etc. The Light will abandon him like Ocean Master. He will have no choice but to become the villain he's destined to be. It's only inevitable then that like Orm he would rebel against the Light and make his own team. A Legion of his own. The Legion of Doom.

B. Darkseid takes control of the Light away from Savage

Things may seem calm now but Darkseid will take vengeance on Savage. The Light is clearly a new spin on the Secret Society of Supervillains. A team Darkseid has had connections to.

With Granny out of the way and Godfrey busy being undercover, he will need a new agent. In Final Crisis, Darkseid's new agent is Libra who took control of the Society through the ALE. Whoever his new representative on the Light will be, like Libra, it will lead to him taking control of Earth's villains....except for Lex and his own Legion.

C. Savage, Ra's and Geo-Force work with the League

In the finale, Jeff brings up Savage, Teth Adam, Ra's Al Ghul and Brion as fallen heroes. I believe their possible redemption may be a role in season 4.

Vandal Savage, with the Light taken from him, will have no choice but to work with the heroes or Lex to defeat Darkseid and the organization he created. Considering they have emphasized his previous history as a "hero" it's likely he will work with the League. Ra's may also assist considering they have similar goals. This may also lead to Jason and Damian's reveal. Geo-Force and Markovia might also assist. The three of them may have redemption yet.

Maybe throw in Black Adam too. We haven't really seen him on screen since season 1. If he controls Khandaq, like Brion he may also help.

III. How does Wally Fit into all this?

So we're in the last part of this post. How the hell can Wally fit into any of this? I say there are at least four ways to bring him in.

A. Dark Flash (Walter West)

This is my least favorite but if people really want the Wally we know to stay dead, the one way to please them, while still playing on the set up plot thread of Artemis believing she saw Wally and not knowing the truth, would be if they brought in Walter West. His involvement may introduce Hypertime or the Multiverse similar to all three Crisis. He may also play into the theme of redemption like the Savage, Ra's, Adam and Brion.

Walter West: the Dark Flash

B. He comes back like Barry did

Look Familiar?

Barry's Death

We all know how Barry died in COIE. He stayed dead for two decades. In that time Wally became The Flash. He defined who the Flash was for a generation and arguably influenced Barry in modern comics too. But enough about Wally. How did Barry come back?

Barry Allen's return in Final Crisis

You're probably sick of me bringing up FC again and again but, yeah that' where Barry comes back. In Darkseid's last ditch effort to eradicate free will and remake creation in his image before dying, Barry Allen was the only one who saw his shadow looming over all reality. But he came back too late to stop him. He however did show the rare ability of overriding the ALE.

Speed Force Kiss?

Wally could play a key role in stopping Darkseid if this is the case.

C. He comes back like Bart

I already covered this earlier. Basically, the Legion (specifically Brainiac 5) uses the Living Lightning Rod to bring Bart Allen back. In this case he would still play a vital role in Darkseid's defeat but instead of appearing out of nowhere, it's the Legion that brings him back. This would tie things together.

D. Wally comes back like comic Wally did

So what if Darkseid is defeated without Wally? What then?

As you may already know, Greg was a huge fan of the DC Universe Rebirth One shot (its emphasis on the Love, Legacy and Life in the DC Universe made it great) and wished to homage it. So far Saturn Girl in the past is one thing. The obvious inspiration?

Rebirth

For a long time now I put the line on him coming back on Darkseid and the show's version of FC. I forgot that in Rebirth, Wally came back AFTER Darkseid War where (New 52) Darkseid was killed and reborn. The event loosened reality and allowed Wally to break back into the universe in small flashes. Every time he can only stay long enough to attempt to reach out to people. People who couldn't remember him. Not even his wife from before Flashpoint: Linda.

Heartbreaking

Obviously in YJ there was no timeline alteration or reboot so people remember Wally. Perhaps this time, Wally needs someone who still thought of him a lot to bring him back as his personal anchor and wouldn't even be visible if not. If Artemis has moved on and loved another, Wally needs someone else to bring him back. Who?

Who else?

Of course I won't be a hundred percent right. But I'm sure one of those scenarios will kind of happen. Whatever the case I'm still 90% sure Wally will return one way or another. The illusion of realistic death is too small of a trade off with the potential story and character development of him actually returning. The impact of his death is still there. He's been gone for years now. Like comic Wally he still has to learn to overcome his slower speed, his inability to phase and his insecurity as a hero which was part of why he quit from being KF in comics as well.

Dick and Wally letting go together

What better way to both parallel and innovate on the source material while covering set up character arcs?

I believe Wally West will return.